A Very Mad Man
by Efrain Hernandez
Summary: A U.S. Soldier is caught in the middle of a feud between science and business. Even with his own problems, no one is offering him relief. He is either a dog tag or collateral damage. Anger, grief and solace; this U.S. Soldier soon becomes a very mad man.
1. Chapter 1

The last thing he saw before the bomb detonated was millions of spiraling shrapnel from a previous explosion and his beautiful wife Sydney. He remembered it distinctly. Behind the curtain of sparks, the hot Iraqi sun and the cascading debris was a brunette with dazzling blue eyes. She was there, amid all of the chaos, was his wife walking towards him. She looked very out of place.

Henry moved his automatic weapon away and reached out for her. He crossed a line. Not only did he just disobey his orders but he physically crossed enemy lines. But Henry was transfixed. He dodged the firefight as best he could and moved further into the cloudy intersection of the street. He was close to her. Henry was only a lunge away from touching her porcelain skin until the grenade that obliterated his body, dropped between his legs.

_Sydney…_

Then Henry felt the pain of his limbs shooting out like fireworks. But he stopped and it was as if everything reversed back to his last moment with Sydney; the woman in white. Time was in play and once again he returned to his convoy. Once again he saw Sydney and once again he rushed to get her. The explosion followed and it all happened again. The pain. The reverse. Sydney. The explosion.

Henry was stuck in a loop. He was in a forever mode, never to cease his endless suffering. He relived that moment throughout his eternity. The genius of his travels left him a madman. A very mad man.


	2. Chapter 2

_We're going to lose him! Somebody help! Get Dr. Grant!_

Henry's eyelids were locked shut but somewhere in the depths of his ears he could hear people talking.

_Dr. Grant, he's convulsing! We can't bring him back!_

Henry tried to explain where he was to himself but even that was proving difficult. He simply let himself drift into nothingness, like a baby in an infinite black womb. The more he allowed his mind to let go of all earthly worries, the more he felt lighter. He was far from the scene of war. He was no longer a US Soldier. He was no longer a husband. He was no longer Henry Charter. He was just _he_.

_We've unplugged him from the machine but he just won't come back._

Henry suddenly saw a tiny white dot in his world of blackness.

_What are you doing! Doctor? Don't plug him back up!_

The light grew wider until it looked as if it was racing towards him like a bullet train and he was going to bite it head on. The light grew brighter and intense until it engulfed him whole. He then returned to being Henry Charter, a husband, and a US Soldier. He was back in the scene of war.

"Dammit, Charter! What the hell do you think you're doing?" A man white platinum blonde hair picked him up from the ground. "Keep that up and you're going to kills us both!"

Henry regained consciousness and immediately felt the impact of the battle. Mute sound became flying bullets and up-close explosions. His instincts took no time to kick in. He followed his comrade deeper into the war torn streets, firing his weapon at strategic points along the way. He looked at his fellow soldier and saw him wink at him.

"You're alright, friendo," the man with platinum blonde hair said.

Henry remembered his name and felt a special connection with him.

"Salazar," Henry said.

"Henry," Salazar answered back, almost mockingly.

"Salazar!" Henry shouted as he pointed behind his friend.

"What's with you, bro?" Salazar had barely enough time to finish his sentence when a long bullet entered and exited his neck. Henry screamed for his friend before several more bullets pounded into his chest. He expected to fall onto hard ground. Unfortunately for him, he returned to the endless abyss once again.

_Salazar…_

_You're lucky, Dr. Grant. He came through. He's taking some time to respond but he's going to be fine. _

_Don't be silly Nathanial. Man's mind is like a machine. All you have to do is reboot it and they'll be right as rain. _


End file.
